The COLD2B Multicenter, Two-arm Prospective Cohort Study

The COLD2B study is a national, multi-center, prospective observational study of acutely (unplanned and non-elective presentation to hospital for urgent or emergency reasons) presenting patients to the emergency departments of the participating centers with WSES 2b AD (Distant gas - more than 5 cm from inflamed bowel segment). The study population includes all consecutive adult patients (≥18 years of age) acutely (unplanned and non-elective presentation to hospital for urgent or emergency reasons) presenting at the participating centers with a clinical and radiological diagnosis of WSES 2b AD for 1 year. According to the different management methods, the cohort will be divided into the following categories: 1. Conservatively treated, which will include patients treated with medical therapy (see fluid, anti-pain drugs and antibiotics, except for radiologic drainage) and 2. Surgically resected, which will be devised into the following sub-categories: 2a) Open surgery management, i.e. traditional open surgery approach with any kind of technique: either reconstructive (with or without ileal/colonic stoma protection) or non-reconstructive (see Hartman procedure) 2b) Laparoscopic approach, i.e. emergency laparoscopic resection with the characteristics mentioned above The enrollment period and the overall evaluation will last approximately 1 year.