New York, Feb 12 (DPA) Former US president Bill Clinton left hospital early Friday, a day after undergoing a heart procedure for a blocked artery.

The television channel NBC cited the hospital's head of cardiology Allan Schwartz, who treated Clinton, as saying that that the former president could return to work again on Monday.

Clinton, 63, was Thursday admitted to New York-Presbyterian/Columbia Hospital after experiencing some 'discomfort' in his chest.

After the operation, Clinton was described as being in 'good spirits' in a statement by Douglas Band, counsellor to the former president.

Clinton underwent quadruple bypass surgery in September 2004 at the same hospital.

Schwartz said that one of the bypasses was completely blocked up, requiring the stents.

Clinton was up and walking within two hours of the procedure. 'I expect president Clinton to resume his very active lifestyle,' Schwartz said.

The cardiologist said that the blockage in one of Clinton's repaired cardiac arteries was unrelated to the former president's workload. Clinton was travelling in earthquake-ravaged Haiti last week.