Overstock.com founder/CEO Patrick Byrne is back in the corner office following an emergency three-month medical leave.

Byrne, who launched the surplus CE, home furnishings and apparel site 17 years ago, was sidelined with Stage IV Hepatitis C, which he contracted after receiving a head wound in rural China in 1984.

Byrne initially envisioned his business as a sales platform for third-world artisans, and traveled the globe to assemble his assortment. The company has since morphed into a leading general merchandise closeout site, although his original vision continues within Overstock’s Worldstock Fair Trade Store.

“I’m happy to be back to the day-to-day operations of this great company, where I see a clear path to continue our accelerating growth,” he said.

Byrne’s duties were assumed by acting CEO Mitch Edwards, a friend and former chief financial officer at Razer, Skullcandy and BitTorrent.

Byrne credits the Mayo Clinic in Scottsdale, Ariz., with saving his life, along with “a big assist” from the physicians at Aurora Health Care in Milwaukee, Wis.