Petroclival meningioma arises in the upper two-thirds of the clivus at the petroclival junction, medial to the fifth cranial nerve. The tumor can displace the brain stem and the basilar artery to the contralateral side. Petroclival meningiomas had a considerable high postoperative morbidity and mortality because of tumor proximity to cranial nerves, major blood vessels, and the brainstem.

Clinical symptoms initially start with an insidious onset of headache and then progress to lower cranial neuropathy with unilateral hearing loss or facial sensory disturbances and trigeminal neuralgia. Brainstem and cerebellar compression signs e.g. gait disturbance are not uncommon.