Using the forward annotate ECO process to update parts can cause this kind of disconnect, though if only the silkscreen was changed I don't see why you would get a rip up.
If you were say... changing from a bunch of 0805 components to 0402s you would get rats where the traces ended on the 0805s and went to the 0402s.
If you make the change manually, in the ECO tool bar by using the "Change Component" tool (check "Update from Library"), PADS will just stretch the traces to the 0402s without leaving any rats behind.
If your board designer can make the change manually first, then do the annotation to verify everything else is in sync, I don't think you will see any rip ups.
c