Background The malignant transformation of an ectopic pancreas in the duodenum is extremely rare. Herein, we report a case of an adenocarcinoma that arose from an ectopic pancreas. We also reviewed 14 cases of malignant transformations arising from an ectopic pancreas in the duodenum that were previously published. Case presentation An 81-year-old man with a 1-month history of vomiting was admitted to our institution. Esophagogastroduodenoscopy (EGD) and computed tomography (CT) scans revealed an obstruction at the first part of the duodenum. A distal gastrectomy was performed for diagnostic and therapeutic purposes. The histopathological examination of the resected specimen showed adenocarcinoma that arose from an ectopic pancreas (Heinrich type 1). The patient is alive without relapse at 18 months of follow-up. Conclusions Adenocarcinoma that arises from an ectopic pancreas should be considered when an obstruction is identified in the duodenum.

Ultrasonic transducers prepared by a sol–gel composite method have been investigated in the field of nondestructive testing (NDT). Sol–gel composite materials could be ideal piezoelectric materials for ultrasonic transducer applications in the NDT field, and a new sol–gel composite with desirable characteristics has been developed. Three kinds of sol–gel composite materials composed of different dielectric constant sol–gel phases, Pb(Zr,Ti)O3 (PZT), Bi4Ti3O12 (BiT), and BaTiO3 (BT), and the same piezoelectric powder phase, PbTiO3 (PT), were fabricated and their properties were compared quantitatively. As a result, the PT/BT, sol–gel composite with the highest dielectric constant sol–gel phase showed the highest d 33 and signal strength. In addition, only PT/BT was successfully poled by room-temperature corona poling with reasonable signal strength.

Rupture of pancreatic pseudocyst is one of the rare complications and usually results in high mortality. The present case was a rupture of pancreatic pseudocyst that could be treated by surgical intervention. A 74-year-old man developed abdominal pain, vomiting, and diarrhea, and he was diagnosed with cholecystitis and pneumonia. Three days later, acute pancreatitis occurred and computed tomography (CT) showed slight hemorrhage in the cyst of the pancreatic tail. After another 10 days, CT showed pancreatic cyst ruptured due to intracystic hemorrhage. Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography revealed leakage of contrast agent from pancreatic tail cyst to enclosed abdominal cavity. His left hypochondrial pain was increasing, and CT showed rupture of the cyst of the pancreatic tail into the peritoneal cavity was increased in 10 days. CT showed also two left renal tumors. Therefore we performed distal pancreatectomy with concomitant resection of transverse colon and left kidney. We histopathologically diagnosed pancreatic pseudocyst ruptured due to intracystic hemorrhage and renal cell carcinoma. Despite postoperative paralytic ileus and fluid collection at pancreatic stump, they improved by conservative management and he could be discharged on postoperative day 29. He has achieved relapse-free survival for 6 months postoperatively. The mortality of pancreatic pseudocyst rupture is very high if some effective medical interventions cannot be performed. It should be necessary to plan appropriate treatment strategy depending on each patient.

A variant of large cell carcinoma showing a rhabdoid phenotype, which is rare among primary lung cancers, is presented. A 59-year-old man was admitted to hospital for an operation. Computed tomography scans showed a mass with a smooth border, invading the thoracic wall. A right upper lobe lobectomy was carried out with resection of a part of the thoracic wall. Pathological examination showed that the tumor was mostly composed of cells with prominent eosinophilic cytoplasmic globules and giant cells, which did not adhere to each other. Cytologically, the tumor cells contained nuclei with a reticular chromatin pattern and one to two prominent nucleoli, and hyaline-like and reticular inclusion bodies, which were immunohistochemically positive for vimentin, but not for alpha-smooth muscle actin, myoglobin or pan-actin. Radiological and laboratory examinations did not detect the presence of the tumor in other organs, indicating that the primary lesion was not situated elsewhere. Metastasis to the right adrenal gland was observed 1 year and 4 months after the operation; however, the patient has been free of the disease 3 years and 11 months after the second operation of an adrenalectomy. This case showed a relatively good prognosis, which is rare among rhabdoid tumors of various organs that generally have poor prognoses with rapid, fatal progression.