Glomus Tumor In Floor Of Mouth: A Case Report

Glomus' has been defined as a small body surrounded by many fibres, consisting of an anastomoses between fine arterioles and veins. 1 A glomus tumor or glomangioma is a benign neoplasm originating from modified smooth muscle cells of the vascular glomus2 and possibly from other types of arteriovenous anastomoses. 3,4 It occurs most frequently in the dermis and subcutaneous tissues in subungual areas of fingers. 4 Unusual sites include stomach, vagina, heart, mediastinum, uterus, penis, bone, lung, trachea, temporomandibular meniscus and eyelid. 5 Solitary glomangioma seen most frequently on extremities whereas multiple lesions on face can occur as a part of hereditary syndrome. 6 Glomangioma of the head and/or neck are extremely rare, with an incidence of 0.6%. 7 English literature review shows about thirty one cases of glomus tumor affecting different subsites of head and neck regions, but none showing isolated involvement floor of mouth. Here we present a rare case of involvement of floor of mouth by locally aggressive glomus tumor, the first and only case documented to date of glomus tumor in this location as far as our knowledge.