Patel VA, et al. - In the present study, the researchers sought to discover risk factors and determine perioperative sequelae of children (n = 1,917; mean age at the time of surgery of 4.05 years) undergoing lateral cervical abscess incision and drainage. Through ACS-NSQIP-P (2012–2016) using CPT code 21501, pediatric patients who had lateral cervical abscess incision and drainage aged 1–18 years were retrospectively queried. Data reported that the mean number of days from hospital admission to the operative intervention was 1.24 days, with a mean total length of stay of 3.64 days. According to results, younger children are more likely to experience delays from hospital admission to definitive surgical intervention, but this does not seem to affect the length of stay overall. Recognition of pertinent clinical factors can help optimize perioperative risk assessment and promote timely procedural planning within the pediatric subpopulation.