Turkish Journal of
GERIATRICS

Katip Celebi University School of Medicine, Ataturk Training and Research Hospital, Plastic, Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgery Ä°ZMÄ°R The incidence of skin cancers is increasing parallel to other cancers, with a growing elderly population. Surgery continues to be the gold standard, although many other therapeutic methods are available for the treatment of skin cancers. In surgical treatment, all steps of reconstructive surgery can be employed, and the method to be selected should yield satisfactory cosmetic and functional outcomes. Free flaps are at the very top of the reconstructive steps, due to prolonged operation time and the necessity of employing a specific technique. On the other hand, free flaps are the first line of treatment in certain cases where cosmetic and functional concerns prevail. In elderly patients, however, free flaps are often not preferred due to prolonged operation time. The current case report presents a 96-year-old female patient who was admitted to our clinic due to squamous cell carcinoma and who subsequently underwent reconstruction using a free radial forearm skin flap. Examples from the literature were highlighted in which proper patient management in the preoperative, intraoperative, and postoperative period will produce fewer concerns regarding free flap surgery in the elderly population. Keywords : Aged; Skin Neoplasms; Free Tissue Flaps