Cerebral phaeohyphomycosis is a rare fungal infection of man. There are approximately 53 published cases to date. Xylohypha bantiana has been shown by histology or culture to be the aetiological agent in 28 of these cases. Two cases of cerebral abscess caused by Xylohypha bantiana are presented. One patient was alive eight months after surgery and antifungal drug therapy. His was the first recorded case of cerebral phaeohyphomycosis treated with itraconazole. His course was complicated by adhesive arachnoiditis. The second patient died post-operatively without appropriate treatment.