The 18-year-old, who stunned the world with his victory at last year's Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro and also took home two relay bronze medals from the event in the Brazilian city, will miss the World Championships in Budapest next month.

Chalmers has a supraventricular tachycardia, a recurrent rapid heartbeat which is not usually considered life-threatening, and underwent a catheter ablation.

According to The Australian, he nearly had the same procedure before Rio 2016 but doctors were unable to perform it.

"Double thumbs up because this time my heart surgery was successful," said Chalmers in a post on Instagram. 

"Thank you all for the support."

The condition did not impact his performance at Rio 2016, where he claimed his impressive haul of three medals.

Chalmers' coach Peter Bishop has claimed he will resume training within two weeks of the operation and could make his return to competitive swimming by August.

The young star has previously indicated his desire to book a place on the Australian team for the Commonwealth Games on home soil in Gold Coast, which run from April 4 to 15 next year.

Last month, when his intention to have surgery was confirmed, Chalmers revealed the condition had begun to have more of an effect on his swimming career.

"I have increasingly began to suffer from an abnormally fast heart rhythm during training and competitions, which now requires surgery," he said.

"Whilst the timing for this follow-up is not ideal, the symptoms have reached a point where I must act to ensure I am in peak physical condition for next year's Commonwealth Games trials and, hopefully, the Commonwealth Games.

"There is never a good time for this type of procedure but given I've suffered from these symptoms during two of the past three major meets and, following my doctor's advice, I have made the tough decision to withdraw [from the World Championships]."