ARNOLD SCHWARZENEGGER quipped “I’m back” as he came round after undergoing heart surgery.
The actor and politician, 70, had the planned procedure to replace a pulmonic valve at Cedar-Sinai hospital in Los Angeles yesterday.
He is reportedly in a stable condition following the surgery.
Daniel Ketchell, a spokesperson for Schwarzenegger, revealed the actor paraphrased his "I'll be back" catchphrase as he came round following the surgery.
He said the valve was originally replaced in 1997 due to a congenital heart defect and the intention was always to replace it.
"That 1997 replacement value was never meant to be permanent, and has outlived its life expectancy, so he chose to replace it yesterday through a less-invasive catheter valve replacement,” said Ketchell.
“During that procedure, an open-heart surgery team was prepared, as they frequently are in these circumstances, in case the catheter procedure was unable to be performed.
“Governor Schwarzenegger’s pulmonic valve was successfully replaced and he is currently recovering from the surgery and is in a stable condition.”
A former professional bodybuilder, Schwarzenegger starred in several films in the 1970s before gaining worldwide recognition in 1982’s Conan the Barbarian.
He is most well-known for his role in the Terminator franchise, in which he first used his catchphrase, "I'll be back".
After moving into politics, he was elected Governor of California in 2003.
Earlier this month he met Leo Varadkar at the SXSW Festival during the Taosieach’s St Patrick’s Day trip to America.
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