Plate, cables taken from Schwarzenegger’s leg

LOS ANGELES – Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger underwent surgery Saturday to remove a metal plate and cables from his leg, a spokesman said.

The hardware was used to help Schwarzenegger’s upper thigh bone heal after he broke it while skiing in Sun Valley, Idaho, last Dec. 23.

Dr. Kevin Ehrhart, who performed the 20-minute surgery at a Los Angeles hospital, said in a statement issued by the governor’s office that there were no complications.

The governor “is in excellent health and there were no complications in this morning’s successful follow-up medical procedure,” Ehrhart said in a statement.

He said removing the hardware is standard practice after the leg has fully healed.

Ehrhart said Schwarzenegger will use a crutch for several days.

Schwarzenegger spokesman Aaron McLear said the second-term Republican governor turned over power to Lt. Gov. John Garamendi for 90 minutes during what he described as “minor surgery.”

Schwarzenegger was under general anesthesia for one hour during the procedure, McLear said.

McLear would not disclose the name of the hospital, citing “privacy reasons.”

Schwarzenegger left the hospital Saturday afternoon to return to his Santa Monica home, McLear said.