TINCAN

Hello all, I will try to make this short. I had an ACDF C5,6-C6,7 in Oct. 2006. They also put a plate in. The surgery was a success. In May of 2008 I got broadsided in an automobile accident. About 25 seconds after I was hit and everything came to a rest my hands got that numb and tingling feeling I had before my ACDF. They took me to the Hospital. I had an MRI on my neck. The doc said the fusion looked ok but above my fusion was a mess. In the past 11 months my hands have gotten worse (they go numb and tingling about every 2 minutes off and on. My neck and my shoulder blades ache, my left arm aches. I went back to see my spine doc and he sent me for an ct scan. He said he doesn't think my fusion took and the car accident made things worse. Being the nosey person I am I got a copy of my ct scan. The plate is not straight up and down with my spine it is at a slant like this \ I told my wife that I think I remember when I was at my 4 week checkup after my ACDF that the plate was straight up and down. The disc plugs are not white like I think they should be they are dark. I was just wondering if anyone ever heard or seen a plate that was this far from straight up and down. Also how bad is a posterior fusion. My doc said this is how they correct this problem if I didn't fuse. Thank you all for your time. TINCAN