Unilateral lower limb atrophy associated with glomus tumors: a case report

• Published in: Journal of medical case reports 2021-01, Vol.15 (1), p.8-8, Article 8
• Main Authors: Akechi, Yuji, Miura, Shiroh, Ochi, Masayuki, Enoki, Moe, Matsuda, Takuya, Kitazawa, Riko, Fujibuchi, Taketsugu, Ochi, Hirofumi, Igase, Michiya, Ohyagi, Yasumasa
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Amyotrophy; Atrophy; Care and treatment; Case Report; Case reports; Child; Electromyography; Family medical history; Foot; Glomus tumor; Glomus Tumor - complications; Glomus Tumor - diagnosis; Glomus Tumor - surgery; Humans; Lower limb atrophy; Magnetic Resonance Imaging; Male; Medical colleges; Medicine; Middle Aged; Monoplegia; Pain; Patients; Smooth muscle; Soft Tissue Neoplasms; Tendons; Tumors; Unilateral; University graduates
• ISSN: 1752-1947; 1752-1947
• DOI: 10.1186/s13256-020-02616-1

Glomus tumors are soft tissue neoplasms comprised of glomus cells, vasculature, and smooth muscle cells, which occur commonly in a single subungual area of the digits, and their main clinical features include severe paroxysmal pain, localized tenderness, and cold hypersensitivity. A 47-year-old Japanese man had suffered from chronic progressive paroxysmal shooting pain in his right leg since childhood. He avoided putting weight on his right foot whenever he walked. The frequency of paroxysmal pain and the number of tender points both gradually increased with age, and his right leg gradually atrophied. Magnetic resonance imaging of the lower extremity demonstrated multiple gadolinium-enhanced nodules that corresponded with his tender points. Excisional biopsy relieved his pain and provided a histopathological diagnosis of glomus tumors. This case suggests that small glomus tumors located in deep tissue may cause disuse atrophy because of their long delay before diagnosis. Clinicians should consider the potential for glomus tumors when patients exhibit unilateral lower limb muscular atrophy with pain.