A representative of Arnold Schwarzenegger has said the actor is 'awake' and 'recovering' following his heart surgery, adding that his first words when he to were, 'I'm back'.
Daniel Ketchell took to Twitter to post a statement which said a replacement pulmonic valve had been successfully fitted.
In a second post he said the actor was doing well and was in good spirits; posting to say his first words when coming 'round were 'I'm back'.
It was reported by TMZ earlier today the actor was taken to Cedars-Sinai Hospital yesterday for catheter valve replacement, which is a minimally invasive procedure.
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In 1997, the same year Batman & Robin was released where he played Mr Freeze, he had to have a procedure that replaced an aortic valve, which was made from his own transplanted tissue.
Doctors suggested he could have had a mechanical valve put in, which at the time was the only permanent solution to fixing the issue, but he decided against it because he didn't want to let the device limit him physically.
Following the surgery, he released a statement saying: "I've never felt sick or had any symptoms at all, but I knew I'd have to take care of this condition sooner or later."
Schwarzenegger was born with a bicuspid aortic valve, which means his valve only has two leaflets compared to the normal three.
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UCLA cardiologist Dr. Jaime Moriguchi said at the time: "Instead of three leaflets, it has only two, and over time, the leaflets get calcified or thickened and they're not as pliant as before."
He recently told Australian TV show The Project that despite being 70-years-old, he doesn't feel that number represents his health, saying: "I don't even think that I'm 70, I know I'm 70, but so what?
"It's only on my passport or my driver's licence, but I feel the same way as I did 20 years ago. I feel good about myself. I work out. I make my movies. Life is great. I feel useful and productive."
Featured Image Credit: PA
