What is the term for a surgical cut made to access the body?

The term for a surgical cut made to access the body is an incision.

A surgical incision is a deliberate cut through the skin and, when necessary, underlying soft tissue to create a safe route for an operation or procedure. Surgeons plan its position, direction, and length around the anatomy involved, the exposure required, blood supply, nerve pathways, and the goal of minimizing damage and scarring. Modern minimally invasive procedures may use several small incisions rather than one large opening.

The word incision describes the access cut itself, not the removal of tissue. An excision removes a structure or lesion, a resection removes part of an organ or tissue, and an amputation removes a limb or other body part. Those terms can appear in the same operation, but they answer different questions.

Named incisions often reflect their shape, location, or the surgeon associated with them. A Pfannenstiel incision, for example, is a low transverse abdominal incision commonly used for cesarean deliveries and some pelvic operations. A midline incision follows the abdomen’s central line and can provide rapid access during emergency surgery. After the procedure, the incision may be closed with sutures, staples, adhesive, or tissue glue.