Treatment of subungual glomus tumors using the nail bed margin approach.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Subungual glomus tumors are rare soft-tissue tumors. The only effective treatment is complete surgical excision. Many surgical approaches had been reported to excise the tumor, but they all have limitations. OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the feasibility and efficacy of curing subungual glomus tumors using the nail bed margin approach. MATERIALS AND METHODS: From June 2005 to January 2012, 17 patients diagnosed with subungual glomus tumors underwent complete excision using a nail bed margin approach under a surgical microscope. Recurrence of symptoms, local complications, and tumor recurrence were evaluated through long-term follow-up. RESULTS: Histopathologic reports confirmed the diagnosis of glomus tumor in all patients. At a mean follow-up of 31.4 months, all patients had complete postoperative relief of pain, the nails recovered completely with normal shape, and no complications or recurrences were observed. CONCLUSION: In the treatment of subungual glomus tumors, the nail bed margin approach is a simple, feasible, effective new method with a low complication and recurrence rate. It can sufficiently expose and completely excise tumors at any subungual region. This approach is expected to be an excellent alternative approach for the excision of subungual glomus tumors.