By Javier Panzar

Los Angeles Times

LOS ANGELES — Former California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger was recovering Friday after undergoing emergency surgery during a procedure to replace a valve in his heart, according to his spokesman.

Schwarzenegger, 70, went to Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles on Thursday for a procedure to replace a pulmonic valve that was originally installed in 1997 because of a congenital heart defect, Schwarzenegger’s spokesman, Daniel Ketchell, said in a statement.

Schwarzenegger had opted for a less-invasive catheter valve replacement, but during that procedure an open-heart surgery team stepped in to replace the valve because of complications.

“We want to thank the entire medical team for their tireless efforts,” Ketchell said.

Ketchell tweeted that Schwarzenegger woke up Friday morning and his first words were: “I’m back” — a reference to the actor’s famous catchphrase, “I’ll be back.”

Schwarzenegger interrupted his career as an action movie star to serve as governor from 2003 to 2011.

The native of Austria has kept an active political life since leaving office.

Last week he appeared with Ohio Gov. John Kasich and former California Assembly Republican leader Chad Mayes in Los Angeles to promote a centrist GOP advocacy group called New Way California.