What is the procedure called that involves closing a wound by stitching?

The procedure that involves closing a wound by stitching is known as suturing. Suturing is a fundamental technique in medical practice used to promote healing and minimize scarring after a surgical incision or traumatic wound. During suturing, the healthcare provider uses a needle and thread (sutures) to bring the edges of the skin or tissue together. This not only helps to support tissue regeneration but also reduces the risk of infection and speeds up the healing process.

Other options like incision refer to the act of cutting into body tissue, which is often a precursor to suturing but does not involve the actual closing of the wound. Proctectomy pertains specifically to surgical procedures involving the removal of the rectum, which is not related to the act of stitching wounds. Podiatry is the branch of medicine that deals with the diagnosis and treatment of conditions of the feet and lower limbs, and again, is unrelated to the procedure of closing wounds with stitches. Thus, suturing is the precise term for the technique used to close wounds through stitching.