Glomangiomas, or glomuvenous malformations (GVM), are rare cutaneous venous malformations that show glomus cells (undifferentiated smooth muscle cells, which are thermoregulatory units), along with the venous system in histology. Glomus cells are specialized smooth muscle cells that regulate the temperature in the body. Masson first described glomangiomas and Papoff further extensively studied. There are three types of glomus tumors, classified based on their dominant component:
Solid: mainly glomus cells.
Glomangioma: mainly blood vessels.
Glomangiomyoma: mainly smooth muscle cells. Glomangimyomas are further divided into (a) regional, (b) disseminated, and (c) congenital plaque-like.
Glomangiomas usually present in multiples, often at birth or during childhood, and they do not involve the subungual region. A majority of glomangiomas are benign, although malignant cases have also been reported. Rarely seen, the disseminated type distributes throughout the body.
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