What type of stitch technique involves individual stitches?

The technique that involves individual stitches is known as an interrupted suture. This method entails placing each stitch separately, allowing for precise control over the tension and distribution of the suture material. Each stitch is tied off individually, which provides the advantage of reducing the impact of a potential suture failure. If one stitch breaks or is compromised, the neighboring ones remain intact, thus maintaining the integrity of the closure.

In contrast, a continuous suture involves a single length of suture material that is threaded through the tissue continuously without tying off each individual stitch. This technique can be quicker but may pose a greater risk if a section of the suture fails, as it can lead to the entire closure being compromised.

The mattress suture technique uses a series of stitches that cross over to create a "mattress" effect, which helps to evert the edges of the tissue, and is not based on individual separate stitches. The purse-string suture, similarly, involves a single thread looped around the tissue edge to gather it, allowing for closure of circular openings, rather than individual placement of stitches.

Thus, the definition and characteristics of an interrupted suture clearly align with the concept of placing individual stitches, making it the correct answer in this scenario.